Press freedom groups denounce repression in Azerbaijan

In
a joint statement today, leading international press freedom and human rights groups, including
CPJ, condemned the ongoing repression of journalists and rights activists in Azerbaijan
and urged authorities to address the issue immediately.

The
crackdown by Baku threatens to undermine the democratic nature of the presidential
vote scheduled to be held in October. According to the statement, which is
backed by CPJ research, Azerbaijan is
holding at least seven journalists in
jail;
has failed to bring to justice those behind a campaign of
intimidation
against leading investigative reporter Khadija Ismailova; and continues to tolerate
impunity in the murders of journalists Elmar Huseynov and Rafiq Tagi. The statement
condemned new restrictive
legislation
that threatens the work of local press freedom groups as well as government
attempts to impose control over the Internet.